Influence of Biologization of Nutrition on the Morphometric Parameters of Field Pea (Pisum sativum L.) under the Conditions of the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

Abstract

Introduction. In modern farming systems, the biologization of grain legume cultivation is gaining particular importance, as it enables optimization of crop architectonics and improvement of technological suitability. Studying the influence of microbiological preparations and micronutrient nutrition on morphometric parameters of pea plants is a key stage in developing varietal cultivation technologies aimed at minimizing harvest losses.
Aim. To substantiate the effectiveness of the integrated application of mycorrhizal fungi, nitrogen-fixing inoculants, and foliar micronutrient fertilization systems in the formation of morphometric parameters (plant height and height of the lowest pod attachment) of field pea varieties ESO and Gambit.
Methods. Field experiments were conducted during 2020–2024 using a two-factor design. Factor A included pre-sowing seed treatment with the mycorrhizal preparation Mykofrend and inoculants Nitrofiks and Rizoaktyv Bobovi. Factor B involved foliar fertilization with micronutrient fertilizers “Nais” and “Avangard.” Plant height was measured at BBCH stages 75–77, and the height of the lowest pod attachment at BBCH stages 73–75. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Results. It was established that the architectonics of pea plants is significantly modified under the influence of the studied factors, although the degree of response depends on the genotype. In the ESO variety, the highest values were obtained with the combination Mykofrend + Rizoaktyv Bobovi together with Avangard fertilization, resulting in a plant height of 81.9 cm and lowest pod attachment height of 33.2 cm (compared to 18.0 cm in the control). For the Gambit variety, characterized by higher growth vigor, the maximum parameters were recorded under the same treatment scheme: plant height increased to 110.5 cm and pod attachment height to 35.2 cm. The ESO variety showed greater plasticity in terms of lowest pod attachment height, with an 84.4% increase compared to the control, while in Gambit the increase was 79.6%. The fertilizer Avangard consistently provided higher results than Nais in all treatments, confirming its strong synergy with microbial preparations.
Conclusions. The obtained results demonstrate that the dynamics of morphometric parameters in field pea are determined by genotype-specific responses, which shape the architectonics of each variety. The implementation of an integrated system including mycorrhization, inoculation, and foliar application of chelated micronutrients ensures a stable increase in the lowest pod attachment zone above 33 cm. This promotes high harvesting manufacturability and minimizes grain losses during mechanical harvesting. The most effective agronomic model for both varieties was the combination of Mykofrend with Rizoaktyv Bobovi under Avangard foliar fertilization.